10 Best Games Like GOTHIC for Fans of Challenging RPGs

by Fernando Diaz / Articles, Lists / 22 Apr 2025

Remember Gothic? That sense of being dropped into a cruel world with nothing but the tatters on your back and perhaps a rusty old hunk of trash to defend yourself with? No glowing arrows to guide you, no holding-your-hand tutorials – just you, a hostile world, and the slow, gritty struggle from scavenger-fodder to someone who might just make it through the night. Yeah that feeling…

If you’ve been chasing that specific high – that combination of unrelenting challenge, deep immersion, and the satisfaction of earning your place in the world by actually going out and exploring and listening – then you’re in the right place. We’ve dug up 10 games that try to capture some of that old Gothic lightning. Get ready to go back to worlds that don’t give a damn if you live. which makes it all the sweeter when you do. These are 10 games that might scratch that Gothic itch:

Tales of Anturia: Farathan

Traditional Gothic starts here. You’re supposed to be the heir saving the empire, but boom – ambushed, thrown off a bridge, and wake up with amnesia, weak, and nobody believes your story. A tough beginning lies ahead where you have to find out, figure things out for yourself by listening & watching (no magic quest markers!!.), and try to piece together who you are while trying to survive in a world that doesn’t trust you.

Of Ash and Steel

This one boasts openly of loving old-school RPGs. You’re in the unforgiving “Kingdom of the Seven,” a once prosperous island that has clearly seen better days. Expect a brutal third-person open world where you simply must master the fight mechanics to a T – using stances, skills, and even the terrain to survive. Giant Gothic inspirations here: no quest markers and not a hand to hold. You gotta look around, ask a few questions, and learn the hard way. Start weak, become strong, maybe make alliances, and discover whether you can actually be useful in this merciless world.

SpellMaster: The Saga

Blatantly inspired by Gothic, SpellMaster drops you into the shoes of an underage wizard yanked from school and hurled into a humongous conflict with dark gods desiring to take over. It’s all about exploring a huge, unfragmented open world full of secrets, beasts, and NPCs living their own schedules. Has a complex combat mechanic centered on weapons, non-linear quests with different endings that change the world to reflect your decisions, and the freedom to write your own story – your Saga.

Risen (2009)

Alright, let’s talk about Risen. Yes, it’s older (2009), but if you’re looking for Gothic atmosphere, this is Gothic’s cousin, developed by the same team (Piranha Bytes) right after they lost Gothic rights. You are abandoned on the volcanic island of Faranga, haunted by mysterious earthquakes and old ruins that erupted from the earth. Retro setup: you start with zero, pick your path (sword dude, stick user, or wizard), become a member of a guild, and assist in solving the island’s issues. Enjoy that deep gritty atmosphere, hard combat, tons of side quests, and a world where your choices have real-world impact. It’s pure Piranha Bytes DNA. (And there are two sequels if you get hooked.)

Stormrite

Be on the lookout for Stormrite, a game in development and looking downright gorgeous. This open-world RPG drops you into the dark fantasy realm of Redreach as a new squire. You can choose your own way – messing around with old, powerful magic or becoming a flat-out warrior. The world is described as dirty and war-scarred, with some pretty heavy lore surrounding this mysterious, god-like being called Requiem who messes around with time, calls up demons, and otherwise sounds like trouble. Sounds like it’s going for that gritty, forge-your-own-fate thing in a brutal medieval setting.

The Witch’s Redemption

This one places you in a dim, superstition-filled world where you’re trying to save a woman named Alice from a “sinister fate.” Sounds like you’ll be questioning mysterious-looking townsfolk a lot, gathering information, and trudging through lies to figure out what’s going on – standard RPG investigative fare. It also possesses a dynamic combat system that appears to require strategic thinking and skill to vanquish witches, monsters, and other nasty foes. If you enjoy solving puzzles in a gloomy setting amidst battling tough foes, this may be worth exploring.

Elengard Ascension

This medieval fantasy RPG takes place in a world slowly being surrounded by darkness. You wake up seemingly healthy in a peaceful village, but something is not quite right – like you’re unfinished. You turn out to have what they call a “curse” that will hurt you and others. Your quest begins as a search for a cure, but eventually turns into dealing with the spreading darkness, and determining who you are and what you can actually do. Expect a mixture of action and strategy in fighting, lots of exploration, and extensive character customization via builds, skills, and combos. It has a “start broken, discover your strength, fight the encroaching evil” vibe to it.

BlackThorne Keep

Picture a dark age Action RPG set during a dark age that extends to America – BlackThorne Keep. You are Athos BlackThorne, lord of the Keep, cursed not only by the ravages of time but also caught up in a dirty political scandal between the Church, the Empire, and native populations. Get ready for a story full of conspiracy, betrayal, and tough choices as it seems everyone wants you dead. Your potential wild card? A tainted family heirloom that grants power. at a price. Sounds like a dark journey figuring out who to trust and how to stay alive when the tables are stacked against you.

The Chronicles Of Myrtana: Archolos (Gothic II Mod)

Pay attention, this one’s worth it. Archolos isn’t necessarily a standalone game – it’s a gigantic, free, complete conversion mod of Gothic II: Gold Edition. But honestly? It feels like a full-blown, bona fide expansion or even Gothic 2.5. Crafted by the most passionate fans we’ve ever seen, it takes you into a completely new open world on Archolos’ island, with a richly textured main quest, plenty of secrets, and over 170 quests with many solutions each. It features professional voice acting, adheres strictly to Gothic lore, offers 60+ hours of gameplay, and includes improved mechanics like new crafting, improved travel, and rebalanced economy based on extensive player feedback. If you’ve already got Gothic II: Gold & you’re craving more of that old school goodness, downloading this is basically a no-brainer. It’s a love letter to the originals.

Gothic 1 Remake

And finally, we’ve come full circle. The legend itself is being rebuilt with contemporary touches! The Gothic 1 Remake is meant to be a faithful, bottom-up remake of the original 2001 title. You’re being put back into the notorious Valley of Mines, the Colony that was shut off by that malfunctioning magic barrier. The same overall story, the same factions (Old Camp, New Camp, Swamp Camp!), the same gritty dark atmosphere, and the same unhampered exploration that marked Gothic are all promised to be here. But with this, they’re doing it again, this time using today’s tech, including sleeker graphics, possibly larger quests and NPC dialogues, and a totally remade combat system that promises to be smoother while retaining the tactical feel. If you crave the OG vibe updated for today, this is the one to watch. Back to the Colony. Again…

Fernando Diaz

Fernando is doing what he always did, sharing his honest opinions about games whenever he can. The difference is now he is writing and not talking about it.
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